Customer Reviews

Greenwich Village

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This FOX Musical was the ONLY time CARMEN MIRANDA got TOP BILLING. A colorful romp in a 1920s N.Y. GREENWICH VILLAGE, of course it looks more like the 40s. Carmen is terrific in this film as a fortune teller and as a singer/dancer. She has three musical numbers in this film and all are true Miranda with outstanding costumes and sets. Her costume in the final number "GIVE ME A BAND AND A BANDANA" was considered by critics to be quite 'risque' for the times. It is an outstanding transfer with some very nice musical numbers...plot is just ordinary with DON AMECHE as a composer who's concerto gets stolen...VIVIAN BLAINE gives good support and is truly beautiful. Extras include studio stills and film trailer...
A MUST FOR MIRANDA FANS!...and those who love 40s Technicolor musicals. It is now available alone on DVD or part of the new FOX MARQUEE MUSICAL CARMEN MIRANDA 5-DVD COLLECTION.

Greenwich Village is another Fox musical made during the 1940s. Honestly I didn't think that musical was great but it wasn't horrible. The film stars Don Ameche playing a classical composer named Kenneth Harvey that is trying to publish his concerto in New York. He lands a job in a nightclub in Greenwich Village and befriends two entertainers Princess Querida (Carmen Miranda) and Bonnie Watson (Vivian Blaine). During the same time their boss Danny O'Mara (William Bendix) decides to put on a musical show. While putting on the show Bonnie and Kenneth are falling in love and Danny has feelings for Bonnie as well. Danny jealous and in love with Bonnie decides to surreptitiously adapt Kenneth's tunes to his show without him knowing. The plot isn't much but what did you expect in a musical? The cast does a pretty good job carrying the film and I thought Bendix did a great job as a villian. He makes the character a likeable villian!

This movie is easy to enjoy and most of the numbers are done quite nicely. I think Carmen Miranda had the best numbers throughout the whole movie. My favorite number had to be "Give Me a Band and a Bandana" sung by Ms. Miranda. I would only recommend this movie to die hard musical fans, especially those of Fox musicals!

As for extras the DVD only has a Photo Gallery with behind-the-scenes, portraits, and ads.

Thanks Fox for putting out another musical on DVD!

Here's a really fun movie for musical fans. 1944's GREENWICH VILLAGE marked the first and only time that Carmen Miranda was top-billed in the cast for one of her films, although she still ends up playing second fiddle to a love story between Vivian Blaine and Don Ameche.

After Alice Faye fell pregnant with her second child, producers frantically scrambled for a suitable replacement for the lead role of Bonnie. They found gorgeous cherry blonde Vivian Blaine, a nightclub singer whose voice was quite similar to Ms Faye's and who had the necessary screen charisma to carry the slight storyline.

GREENWICH VILLAGE, a charming musical set in the 1920s, was Blaine's first big break, in which she played Bonnie Watson, a promising young performer in a Greenwich Village nightclub owned by Danny O'Mara (the always impressive William Bendix). An up-and-coming composer visiting from Kansas, Kenneth Harvey (Don Ameche), takes an instant liking to Bonnie, and plays some of his compositions for her. Those tunes mysteriously start appearing in the show that Danny is tooling as a star vehicle for Bonnie and fellow nightclub performer Princess Querida (Carmen Miranda). Like the other reviewers here I won't go and spoil the plot any further.

Carmen Miranda sings "I'm Just Wild About Harry", "I Like to Be Loved By You", and "Give Me a Band and a Bandana"; Vivian Blaine performs "Whispering". The costumes are lush--especially the black sequinned creation that Ms Miranda wears at the end of the film.

A fun movie if you're a fan of the main stars. The DVD is also available as part of the Carmen Miranda Collection boxset which also boasts a remastered print of "The Gang's All Here" and three more titles co-starring Vivian Blaine ("Something for the Boys", "If I'm Lucky" and "Doll Face").

Greenwich Village is one of the best Fox musicals I've ever seen. There are numerous outstanding song and dance numbers peppered all throughout the film; and Carmen Miranda even gets top billing! The acting is very convincing and the plot moves along at a very good pace; I was never bored. The cinematography is excellent and the choreography for the musical numbers couldn't have been any better. The quality of the print is very good, too. One note of caution, however: on my copy of the DVD case artwork, they indicate that Perry Como performs in this picture. I couldn't find Perry anywhere; this appears to be a misprint. On the other hand, you will see a very brief cameo by Betty Comden as the hat check girl in Danny's speakeasy; she is uncredited but it's her!

When the action starts, we see that it's 1922 in Greenwich Village, the bohemian and artistic haven in New York City. A young man from Kansas, Kenneth Harvey (Don Ameche), gets off the tour bus when it hits the village and he wanders into a speakeasy owned by Danny O'Mara (William Bendix). Kenneth soon meets the absolutely outrageous and fun singer/dancer/ fortune teller Princess Querida (Carmen Miranda). He also lays eyes on Danny's girlfriend Bonnie Watson (Vivian Blaine) who sings routinely in Danny's club. Danny has feelings for Bonnie; and when Kenneth also begins to have feelings for Bonnie trouble slowly begins to start and snowball.

Kenneth came to the big city to track down "the great Kavosky" (Emil Rameau) in the hopes of getting his piano concerto noticed and performed; he wants fame and fortune as a classical composer of fine music. Trouble is, however, that Danny wants to "lift" some of Kenneth's music and put it into his own upcoming show after making a few jazzy and superficial rearrangements. Kenneth isn't even always aware that Danny is lifting his music; but Bonnie, who is beginning to return Kenneth's affection for her, is very opposed to Danny using Kenneth's music in his upcoming variety show.

There are a few relatively minor plot twists here and there that don't have any real substance to them; they principally serve as excuses for another great musical number. Look for the costume ball scene at New York's Webster Hall and you'll find yet another great song and dance sequence with countless extras--it's wonderful!

Of course, from here the plot can go just about anywhere. Kenneth finally does get to perform his piano concerto for Kavosky--but will Kavosky like it enough to back it and let Kenneth perform it in concert? How will the struggling artist Hofer (Felix Bressart) fit into all that? And what about Danny's show--will he get away with using Kenneth's music without his permission and even without Kenneth realizing it? What about Kenneth and Bonnie--will they get together at the end of the film or will Bonnie realize that she does truly love Danny after all? No plot spoilers here, folks--watch and find out!

Greenwich Village easily rivals some of the best MGM musicals out there; and in my opinion that's saying a lot. These song and dance numbers are quite memorable, to say the least! The DVD comes with some still photos taken behind the scenes and more; and that's another plus. I highly recommend this film for fans of the actors in this movie; and people who enjoy classic movie musicals will not be disappointed.

Greenwich Village has now been released on DVD and is a fine movie with a good supporting cast.
The story involves a budding song writer(Don Ameche)who comes to New York City during the /20s.Out of curiosity he gets off a tour bus going through Greenwich Village and ends up staying.He is drawn to a place called "Danny's Den" which is run by Danny(William Bendix).He's a nightclub owner with big ideas to star his number one vocal act Bonnie(Vivian Blane).When Don Ameche walks in flashing the money he's saved up to get to NYC,Bendix sees a chance to get a backer for an even bigger show he wants to put on.Ameche plays a concerto he has written and Bendix likes part of it which he integrates into his new show.But Ameche has bigger aspirations for his concerto and when he auditions his piece for a local conductor,Bendix won't relinquish the song from Ameche's concerto.To add insult to injury Ameche and Blaine have fallen hard for each other much to the chagrin of Bendix,which steels Bendix even more.When a third party falsely intervenes acting as a supposed go between Ameche and the conductor,Ameche ends up losing all of his money and is under the mistaken idea Bendix and company had something to do with it.When Blaine learns of the mess she comes clean with Bendix about her true feelings with regards to Ameche and Bendix takes it surprisingly well.He ends up cleaning up Ameche's predicament and to top it off gets the maestro to play his music as part of his big new show.All's well that ends well.
The plot has many more enjoyable twists and turns to it but the pace never really slackens.Carmen Miranda again shines throughout the picture coming in and out when the plot demands giving out with her mixture of malaprops and mixed up English.She is her usual delightful self and she opens and closes the picture in her inimitable style and grace.The film is set in the 1920s and throughout,in case we forget,the picture is riddled with song hits from that era.In fact Carmen opens the picture with "I'm Just Wild About Harry"...Jolson should have looked so pretty! Further,the very song that Bendix lifts from Ameche's concerto is none other than the famous "Whispering",first recorded in 1920 by the Paul Whiteman band and which became Whitemans' theme song.
Vivian Blaine makes her screen debut here and does a good job.She was a good looking lady with a nice way about her and she was used frequently by Fox throughout her tenure there.Bendix plays the tough Club owner but he never goes over the top like for example Dennis O'Keefe did in "Doll Face".
Here is an interesting aside for all those Our Gang fans who remember Ernie "Sunshine Sammy" Morrison.Ernie appears here with the Four Step Brothers.They were a great little group of song and dance men who perform here in the film as a group who audition and get a shot to appear in Bendixs' upcoming show.They do a fabulous number,a real showstopper.After Ernie left the Gang he went back to the stage as a dancer/singer/performer and during the war,except for a brief time with the East Side Kids,toured many an armed forces camp with this group.It is very nice to see him and them in a rare film appearance.
Greenwich Village has been mastered from a splendid colour print and looks gorgeous,very crisp and clean which enchances ones viewing experience.
One item I must bring to the readers attention is the fact that the dust jacket of this DVD says that Perry Como appears in the film.This is a MISPRINT and wrong as Como never appeared in the film at all.I don't know what happened here but I think someone has gotten their movies mixed up.
In conclusion Greenwich Village is a pleasant and nice 82 minute beautiful colour diversion.The plot keeps moving very well and rarely,if ever,falters.There is a solid cast here with Ameche and Bendix leading the way followed right behind by Miranda and Blaine.The music throughout is good and Blaine sings pleasantly and ably, while Miranda gives her usual boffo and mesmerizing performances.Nevermind the era in which it is set,the most important thing here is that the movie is put over well by its' cast,and the musical kicks they offer up just add to the fun.

"Greenwich Village" is one of the very few films in which Carmen Miranda was the primary box office attraction. That means more Miranda but not necessarily better. The merits of the film are:

- dazzling sets and technicolour creating a psychedelic feast for the eyes
- some pleasant songs including "It's all for Art's Sake" presented in a colourful carnival atmosphere
- a superb dance routine "It Goes to your toes" presented by a forgotten quartet, the 4 Step Brothers. The presentation has some great visual gimmicks
- Miranda herself, always amusing even if she is overblown

Unfortunately, the merits are outweighed by the drawbacks such as:

- a subdued Don Ameche, too old for his role and at the end of his 20th Century Fox contract. Ameche gets below the title billing and walks through his unrewarding role.
- a generally unattractive cast including colourless Vivian Blaine as the romantic lead and a miscast and boorish William Bendix as the owner of a nightlcub
- some appalling costumes, particularly Miranda's, in gross bad taste
- some weird ideas such as Miranda singing "I'm Just wild about Harry", way out of her element, sounding dreadful and dressed like a lolly pink stick of candy; a really awful number.

The print of the film is spectacular but there are no significant extras. It is only as part of the Carmen Miranda Set that the DVD is reasonable value.

This movie was a disappointment. The storyline was slow and did not hold my attention. Don Ameche Vivian Blaine and Carmen have always been favorites. But Willian Bendix was not a fit.